Somethin' Stupid

"Somethin' Stupid", also "Something Stupid", is a song written by C. Carson Parks. It was originally recorded in 1966 by Parks and his wife Gaile Foote, as Carson and Gaile. A 1967 version by Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy Sinatra reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[1] In 2001, a cover version by British vocalist Robbie Williams and Australian actress Nicole Kidman reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.

For other subjects, see Something Stupid.

"Somethin' Stupid"
US single A-side label
Single by Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra
from the album The World We Knew
B-side"I Will Wait for You"
ReleasedMarch 1967 (1967-03)
RecordedFebruary 1, 1967, United Western Recorders, Hollywood, Los Angeles
Genre
Length2:37
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)C. Carson Parks[1]
Producer(s)
Frank Sinatra singles chronology
"That's Life"
(1966)		 "Somethin' Stupid"
(1967)		 "The World We Knew (Over and Over)"
(1967)
Nancy Sinatra singles chronology
"Summer Wine"
(1967)		 "Somethin' Stupid"
(1967)		 "Love Eyes"
(1967)

Carson and Gaile version

In the early 1960s, Carson Parks was a folk singer in Los Angeles. He was an occasional member of The Easy Riders, and also performed with The Steeltown Three, which included his younger brother Van Dyke Parks. In 1963, he formed the Greenwood County Singers, later known as The Greenwoods, who had two minor hits and included singer Gaile Foote. Before the Greenwoods disbanded, Parks and Foote married and, as Carson and Gaile, recorded an album in 1966 for Kapp Records, San Antonio Rose, which included the song "Something Stupid". The recording was then brought to the attention of Frank Sinatra.[2][3]

Frank and Nancy Sinatra version
Frank (left) and Nancy Sinatra

The most successful and best-known version of "Somethin' Stupid" was issued in 1967 as a single by Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra and subsequently appeared on Frank's album The World We Knew. Frank had played Parks' recording to his daughter's producer, Lee Hazlewood, who recalled "He asked me, 'Do you like it?' and I said, 'I love it, and if you don't sing it with Nancy, I will.' He said, 'We're gonna do it, book a studio.'"[2][3] Their rendition was recorded on February 1, 1967, after Frank had finished his collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim earlier in the day.[4] Al Casey played guitar on the recording and Hal Blaine was the drummer.[5] Hazlewood and Jimmy Bowen were listed as the producers of the single, with arrangement by Billy Strange.[1]

The single spent four weeks at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and nine weeks atop the easy listening (now adult contemporary) chart, becoming Frank's second gold single as certified by the RIAA and Nancy's third.[6] In Norway the single qualified for silver disc.[7] It was the first and only instance of a father-daughter number-one song in America. Nancy Sinatra has said she thinks it's "very sweet" that some people refer to it as the "Incest Song".[8] The single also reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart the same year.[1] It was also nominated for the Record Of The Year at the 10th Grammy Awards, losing to the 5th Dimension's upbeat hit song "Up, Up And Away".[9]

In episode 21 of The Simpsons' third season, Sideshow Bob and Selma Bouvier (voiced by Kelsey Grammer and Julie Kavner, respectively) perform the Frank and Nancy Sinatra version as a karaoke.[10]

In the Breaking Bad spin-off series Better Call Saul, episode seven of season four is titled after the song, with the opening montage containing an original rendition performed by Lola Marsh.[11] The song is again used in a montage in episode nine of season five.

Vocalists

Leaders

Instrumentalists

Chart history

Ali Campbell and Kibibi Campbell version
"Somethin' Stupid"
Single by Ali Campbell and Kibibi Campbell
from the album Big Love
ReleasedDecember 1, 1995
Recorded1995
GenrePop, jazz
Length4:37
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)C. Carson Parks
Producer(s)Stoker
Ali Campbell and Kibibi Campbell singles chronology
"Let Your Yeah Be Yeah"
(1995)		 "Somethin' Stupid"
(1995)		 "Hold Me Tight"
(1993)

In 1995, Ali Campbell and his daughter Kibibi Campbell covered the hit as a duet. As a suggestion to the version of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra was used, based on this part of the Musikrichting was adapted in the cover. After its release on the studio album Big Love, it can also be found on the compilation Silhouette.

Music video

The music video was shot in New York City. Ali Campbell and his daughter spend an afternoon in the city. They relax on the bench in the park, also walk through the city center, look through a sightseeing telescope, watch jugglers and fire breathers in a circus, figure skaters and stroll.[27]

Charts
Chart (1995) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[28] 30
New Zealand Singles Chart[29] 13

Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman version
"Somethin' Stupid"
Single by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman
from the album Swing When You're Winning
ReleasedDecember 14, 2001
Recorded2001
Genre
Length2:50
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)C. Carson Parks
Producer(s)
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Better Man"
(2001)		 "Somethin' Stupid"
(2001)		 "Mr. Bojangles/I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen"
(2002)
Nicole Kidman singles chronology
"Come What May"
(2001)		 "Somethin' Stupid'"
(2001)		 "One Day I'll Fly Away"
(2002)
Music video
"Somethin' Stupid" on YouTube

British singer Robbie Williams recorded a cover version of "Somethin' Stupid" as a duet in 2001 with Academy Award-winning Australian actress Nicole Kidman. The song appeared on Williams' 2001 album, Swing When You're Winning, and it topped the UK Singles Chart at the end of the year. The song was Christmas number one in the United Kingdom, and Williams' fifth number one overall. The single sold 98,506 copies in its first week and 366,000 copies over all earning a Silver Certification by the BPI. The accompanying music video was directed by Vaughan Arnell.

The song was the 30th best selling single of 2001 in the UK. The song also became another number-one single for Williams in New Zealand, being certified Gold,[30] and became, at the time, his best selling single in Europe, charting inside the top ten in most countries. In Australia, it became Williams' fourth top ten single, earning a Gold certification for over 35,000 copies sold.[31]

Track listings

UK CD single

  1. "Somethin' Stupid" – 2:51
  2. "Eternity" (Orchestral version) – 5:32
  3. "My Way" (Live at the Albert Hall) – 6:59
  4. "Somethin' Stupid" (video) – 3:08

UK DVD single

  1. "Somethin' Stupid" (video) – 3:06
  2. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" (audio) – 2:35
  3. "That's Life" (audio) – 3:07

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[70] Gold 20,000*
Belgium (BEA)[71] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[72] Gold 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[73] Gold 250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[74] Gold 5,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[75] Gold 20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[76] Gold 400,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Other versions

References
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